A few nights ago I attended Meadowdale Middle School’s Information Night. As an alum it’s a particularly unique sensation. The evening definitely clarified the transition upon us: the journey into the middle school years. Oddly, I haven’t felt much fear or angst about the boy’s transition, though others on this journey around me do. Talking with those other parents, I think the roots of that anxiety stem from our own journey into those years.
When I transitioned from Beverly to Meadowdale Junior High, I don’t remember much in the way of support or discussion. I remember the cheerleaders coming to my school, and talks about registering. I think we even walked the mile or so down to the school. Of course, that was quite some time ago and my memory probably isn’t to be fully trusted. I was rather unique, though. I lived a relatively small amount of time in this community. Attending Beverly for all of 6th grade, and had lived in this neighborhood for about 3 months prior (I spend 1/2 of my 5th year at College Place, and before that I was in the Philippines, and before that…well, that’s a post for another day). I didn’t know any kids from the other schools, and barely the kids at mine. When I went to Junior High, the general feeling was one of anxiety, though my vagabond childhood and left me with great adaptive skills.
So, last Thursday, I’m walking through the quite different halls of the same institution. Rebuilt just a few years ago (the first class of the new building is still in highschool, I believe), it’s a bright and delightful space. The design reminds me very much of the buildings on the Microsoft campus. And the staff I interacted with were wonderful. For me, though, the best part, BEST part was the community. My son’s world will intersect wonderfully at this school. Friends from so many different programs, places we’ve lived, communities we love all feed into this one place. One very deliberate thing I wanted my son to have, growing up, was a deep sense of place, of community. It delights me, then, that this is exactly what I saw.
He had a great time, and so did I. Any lingering anxieties about all of this have been put to rest. Dare I say it, but I’m actually looking forward to these next few years. The programs and staff come across as ready to coach my boy these next steps. I couldn’t be more pleased.
